thinking about going into welding..what do you think?

[ragincajun]

hey guys,
next year i am thinking about taking welding tech. right now i am taking heavy equipment operation so i think welding will go good with my current "degree". if i go into it i would only have to take like 3 classes my first year because i have or will take most of the first year classes which will help me save a lot of money on tuition. i love to build and fab things and tinker alot and have helped my dad on some projects and helped him build a sled deck for our utility trailer. my dad is also a welder and a very good one at that. he has tought me a little about welding but mostly just mig but i dont think he really wants me to go into it because of all the sinus problems and stuff like that that he has to deal with every day. i know there is always a demand for welders and i have always wanted to follow in my dad's foot steps. would you guys think about going into this feild?

 

[Spud]

what happened to Operating Heavy Equiptment Hayden???

 

[hilinerider]

pipeline welders are few and far between; of course they are like a nomadic tribe goin from project to project although they make good coin, now the welders on the railroad make good coin and get stationed on a section,
all the trades have trouble gettin new blood because the majority of todays youth don't like manual labor,

if you like to do it and don't get bored with it go for the gold

 

[Mafesto]

Don't consider manufacturing.........................................icky.

 

[ragincajun]

what happened to Operating Heavy Equiptment Hayden???

something good for me to fall back on just in case. if i find a good paying job this summer i might work for a year or two to build up the funds and then go back to school. if i dont find one, back to school next year.

 

[ragincajun]

pipeline welders are few and far between; of course they are like a nomadic tribe goin from project to project although they make good coin, now the welders on the railroad make good coin and get stationed on a section,
all the trades have trouble gettin new blood because the majority of todays youth don't like manual labor,

if you like to do it and don't get bored with it go for the gold

my uncle is a pilot for some rich guy down in Vernal Utah and his boss is paying his shop welders 45 bones an hour, the guys on in the oil fields are making 80-90 bones and hour.....dont know if that is true or not. oh btw....kick a$$ avitar lol

 

[hilinerider]

i wouldn't kick it ?!

couple guys i know here that are working the bakken oil in eastern mt. & nd are getting $60/hr with all supplies provided, the guys gettin 80 are problably supllyin all there own, these guys are gettin fuel and rod/gas provided, guy gettin 45 is problably just showin up and using their equipment,( guess?)

 

[ragincajun]

yup. just showin up and repairing drilling rigs and crap like that

 

[High Velocity]

So, uh, can't make it as a mechanic, so you'll be a welder instead ? LOL.....Just kidding. I'm a mechanic (heavy-duty & automotive) and my son-in-law is a welder. Both good trades that will provide you with a very good income. My only advice to you is get the welding ticket and then try to get either a millwright or mechanic ticket to go with it. Combine the welding trade with one of the mechanical trades, and you'll never be out of work.

 

[H2SNOW]

what cha need to do is diversify ...(sp) ...when I was a kid there was no such thing as courses or classes ...you either could or you couldn't ........

I started welding when I was 10 ...building sluice boxes right beside Rick Card who was 50 somethin at the time 20 years later I was building 4 wheel drives and rock crawlers frame and all back to welding as a kid ...learned lots when we were done that ...on that particular day I was learning to run a 988B loading sluice boxes ..then into an old D-6 widepad dozer .........ya see I was always inclined to either build sh1t if it was made of steel or run something that had a CAT emblem on the side of it ...........I can do any of those trades at any given moment and excell period .

I somewhere along the way got tricked into truckin partly cuz I like the freedom , partly because I like movin around, partly becuz I don't play well with others and partly cuz it makes more money thatn a doctor at times ...

it aint like it was soo do what ya gotta do and be happy

 

[Vertical_Escape]

So, uh, can't make it as a mechanic, so you'll be a welder instead ? LOL.....Just kidding. I'm a mechanic (heavy-duty & automotive) and my son-in-law is a welder. Both good trades that will provide you with a very good income. My only advice to you is get the welding ticket and then try to get either a millwright or mechanic ticket to go with it. Combine the welding trade with one of the mechanical trades, and you'll never be out of work.

Excellent advice.....

I no longer weld, eyes gave up on me a few years back. I now do welding inspection. The market/money is out there for any young guy who works to become good in the field. Pipelines aren't going to stop going in no matter who sits in Washington. Existing lines and stations are going to have to be repaired and updated as the years pass. Good career choice if you're serious about becoming good at it.

Learn SMAW and GTAW where you can do them blindfolded. Then companies will be calling you trying to hire you.

 

[ragincajun]

So, uh, can't make it as a mechanic, so you'll be a welder instead ? LOL.....Just kidding. I'm a mechanic (heavy-duty & automotive) and my son-in-law is a welder. Both good trades that will provide you with a very good income. My only advice to you is get the welding ticket and then try to get either a millwright or mechanic ticket to go with it. Combine the welding trade with one of the mechanical trades, and you'll never be out of work.

no mechanic stuff lol, just operating. i was also thinking about diesel mechanics but i worked 3 summers in a truck shop and i never really enjoyed it all that much.

 

[ragincajun]

what cha need to do is diversify ...(sp) ...when I was a kid there was no such thing as courses or classes ...you either could or you couldn't ........

I started welding when I was 10 ...building sluice boxes right beside Rick Card who was 50 somethin at the time 20 years later I was building 4 wheel drives and rock crawlers frame and all back to welding as a kid ...learned lots when we were done that ...on that particular day I was learning to run a 988B loading sluice boxes ..then into an old D-6 widepad dozer .........ya see I was always inclined to either build sh1t if it was made of steel or run something that had a CAT emblem on the side of it ...........I can do any of those trades at any given moment and excell period .

I somewhere along the way got tricked into truckin partly cuz I like the freedom , partly because I like movin around, partly becuz I don't play well with others and partly cuz it makes more money thatn a doctor at times ...

it aint like it was soo do what ya gotta do and be happy

if i could have grown up like you did i would have been in heaven. i have loved heavy equipment since i was wee little and have always had an interest in welding. i would have taken welding in high school but our shop teacher should have been a computer teacher. he even used to call my dad all the time to come show him how to weld lol. he was a complete idiot so i never took any of his classes.

 

[Scott]

Wish I would have taken welding back in HS.

 

[spring snow hero]

I am your basic heinz 57. I spent 8 years welding on natural gas pipelines, came to that from hanging red iron and tight tolerance fab. I currently work as an operating engineer/welder/master mechanic......it's a lot of hats to wear, but work is only a phone call away.

pipe, structural, bridge code.....these certs pay pretty well if you are good. I have always been able to either work heavy equipment as compliment to my welding or vice versa. if you seriously want to be a good welder. think in the smallest fraction of an inch you can measure. what you measure and cut you will weld and you will learn that the fit is really the art. you should be able to weld an x-ray quality weld while your pants are on fire. you should be able to pass a structural test with a stinger, slag hammer, scribe, wire brush and flash light.....never test without thoes things. a pipe test you can add a stringer wheel and a grinder. learn to spark test various metals to learn their properties......this will save you in the future. never ever ever work w/o safety glasses. get in the habit of making everything level flush plumb and square unless the print says otherwise.

when you go into a shop there is usually some guys that are pretty good and they show it.
when you get in the field there are guys that are rediculously good and they show it. never argue with an ace hand. just close mouth and open eyes.....it will make sence in three more steps.

be familiar with getting burned. have a tramp bag ready ALL THE TIME. never ever ever get caught w/o your lunch, raingear, certs and the welding procedure in the field.

don't give up on the operating, they make air conditioned hoes, they don't make ac leathers.

utitlies are good places to make a decent long living. bridges are the easiest money out there. be familiar with how to fix things...but try to stay away from repair work, it is dirty (which is not good for a welder.....grease and welding are enemies) and typically pays less.


if that sounds like it is up your ally then go for it.

 

[ragincajun]

i really wish our shop teacher wasnt such a fuk tard otherwise i would have taken small engines and welding. i wish we had some better welding equipment. everything they has was from like 1901 lol

 

[H2SNOW]

I am your basic heinz 57. I spent 8 years welding on natural gas pipelines, came to that from hanging red iron and tight tolerance fab. I currently work as an operating engineer/welder/master mechanic......it's a lot of hats to wear, but work is only a phone call away.

pipe, structural, bridge code.....these certs pay pretty well if you are good. I have always been able to either work heavy equipment as compliment to my welding or vice versa. if you seriously want to be a good welder. think in the smallest fraction of an inch you can measure. what you measure and cut you will weld and you will learn that the fit is really the art. you should be able to weld an x-ray quality weld while your pants are on fire. you should be able to pass a structural test with a stinger, slag hammer, scribe, wire brush and flash light.....never test without thoes things. a pipe test you can add a stringer wheel and a grinder. learn to spark test various metals to learn their properties......this will save you in the future. never ever ever work w/o safety glasses. get in the habit of making everything level flush plumb and square unless the print says otherwise.

when you go into a shop there is usually some guys that are pretty good and they show it.
when you get in the field there are guys that are rediculously good and they show it. never argue with an ace hand. just close mouth and open eyes.....it will make sence in three more steps.

be familiar with getting burned. have a tramp bag ready ALL THE TIME. never ever ever get caught w/o your lunch, raingear, certs and the welding procedure in the field.

don't give up on the operating, they make air conditioned hoes, they don't make ac leathers.

utitlies are good places to make a decent long living. bridges are the easiest money out there. be familiar with how to fix things...but try to stay away from repair work, it is dirty (which is not good for a welder.....grease and welding are enemies) and typically pays less.


if that sounds like it is up your ally then go for it.

nice speach .....................

 

[ragincajun]

I am your basic heinz 57. I spent 8 years welding on natural gas pipelines, came to that from hanging red iron and tight tolerance fab. I currently work as an operating engineer/welder/master mechanic......it's a lot of hats to wear, but work is only a phone call away.

pipe, structural, bridge code.....these certs pay pretty well if you are good. I have always been able to either work heavy equipment as compliment to my welding or vice versa. if you seriously want to be a good welder. think in the smallest fraction of an inch you can measure. what you measure and cut you will weld and you will learn that the fit is really the art. you should be able to weld an x-ray quality weld while your pants are on fire. you should be able to pass a structural test with a stinger, slag hammer, scribe, wire brush and flash light.....never test without thoes things. a pipe test you can add a stringer wheel and a grinder. learn to spark test various metals to learn their properties......this will save you in the future. never ever ever work w/o safety glasses. get in the habit of making everything level flush plumb and square unless the print says otherwise.

when you go into a shop there is usually some guys that are pretty good and they show it.
when you get in the field there are guys that are rediculously good and they show it. never argue with an ace hand. just close mouth and open eyes.....it will make sence in three more steps.

be familiar with getting burned. have a tramp bag ready ALL THE TIME. never ever ever get caught w/o your lunch, raingear, certs and the welding procedure in the field.

don't give up on the operating, they make air conditioned hoes, they don't make ac leathers.

utitlies are good places to make a decent long living. bridges are the easiest money out there. be familiar with how to fix things...but try to stay away from repair work, it is dirty (which is not good for a welder.....grease and welding are enemies) and typically pays less.


if that sounds like it is up your ally then go for it.

thanks for the advise! speaking of becoming familiar with burns my dad cought his crotch on fire the other day lol. he was welding a pendle hitch to some frame rails and all the sparks were funneled down to his crotch lol. he said it didnt hurt until he put it out. funny thing is that he has done this 2other times ha ha. as for repair work i know what some with that. my dad workes at the same truck shop i worked at and most of the stuff that came through there were trucks covered in grease and chicken shiet welds and crap like that.

 

[spring snow hero]

you don't need fancy equipment to learn on. you need to be adapatable. there are times when your machine is a 1/2 away through a maze of crap andif you can't make it through the weld with just arc length or position you are gonna get two checks....seen it. when I get a new guy in the field I am always nice, but concerned. I get a real confidence boost when a guy can run a nice bead uphill w/ 7018 on a couple rusty/painted pieces of different sized steel.

it will pay to learn how to shrink iron to make it straight too. not many come off the truck straight.....some might think so, but a good hand will see things that you swear aren't there.....till they show ya'

 

[hilinerider]

don't laugh on the old iron, some of the best pipeline welders around are still runnin flat head 1950's linclon welders, one i know tried one of the new lincolns and told the salesman to come get and shoove it after a day and loaded his old welder back up,


if you can get good at weldin with that old iron when you get a hold of a modern machine it will be a cake walk